STS: R
TRAX

Lure Of The Rings

They may eschew tradition, but many
secular Israelis are still choosing
"kosher" wedding bands.

LAUREN GELFOND

JERUSALEM POST

married.
But less obvious is the reason cou-
ples wear rings on their "ring finger."
hen it comes to
Legend has it that Europeans started
wedding rings,
wearing wedding rings on the ring
these days the big-
finger of the left hand because of an
ger and bolder the
ancient pagan belief that the "vena
better.
amoris," or so-called love vein, in
There are no direct references in
this finger leads directly to the heart.
the Torah or Talmud requiring
According to Jewish custom, a
Jewish women or men to wear wed-
groom places the ring on the bride's
ding rings. Rabbinic tradition stipu-
right index finger during the cere-
lates only that a bride accept an
mony, and it can be moved over
object of a certain value from her
later. As in Europe, Israelis typically _
groom.
wear their wedding bands on the
But historians suspect that when
ring finger of their right hand.
Jews lived under Roman rule in
Ayala, a 32-year-old manager,
Israel, a ring became the adopted —
decided that the pressure of a ring
and preferred — matrimonial offer-
symbolizing commitment was "stu-
ing.
pid." She objected to the high cost
Israelis today aren't making
of many bands, and eventually set-
amends for their assimilating ways;
tled on a silver band with raised
in fact, rings are getting more
flowers that cost less than
unique each passing year.
$50. "There is no way
Gone are the days of the tra-
that I would ever love
ditional gold, thin band most
one piece of jewelry all
of our mothers and grand-
my life. Anyway, I don't
mothers wore. Today, stores
even like wearing rings,"
boast rings of every size,
she said.
color, shape and texture; the
But going ringless, as
funkier stuff sells best.
Ayala
does, can make
"Taking into considera-
An inscribed gold
her feel self-conscious
tion the size of Israel, I
band with diamonds. when she travels. "My
would say that we have
husband wears a tradi-
more artists than any other
tional wedding ring, so
country, and it affects the
in small Muslim villages in Turkey
fashions in Israel," said jewelry
where we traveled it looked like I
designer Shlomo Yashai, 'explaining
was starting a romance with a mar-
that Israeli women look for rings
that are unique, fun, casual and suit- ried man — that was uncomfort-
able.
able for everyday wear.
Despite their devil-may-care atti-
A tourist might not notice the
tude, even secular Israelis only buy
trend, since there is often no way to
kosher rings when they marry.
distinguish a wedding band in Israel
According to Jewish law, the ring
from any other ring, but Israeli men
must be a perfect circle and boast no
can sniff out wedding rings from at
stones or perforations, signifying
least a table away.
that all couples are equal when they
Michal, a Tel Aviv woman, was
embark on their wedded journey.
having lunch in a cafe when she
Some rabbis also rule that inscrip-
noticed a handsome man staring at
her. When he started making his way tions in the ring are treife (not
kosher). "They will push the line,
toward her, she quickly raised her
but not go over it," said a manager
hand, adorned with a wide gold
at the Miller fine jewelry chain on
band inscribed with hieroglyphics,
to scratch her cheek. The simple ges- Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv of the
brides and grooms who frequent his
ture was enough to turn him on his
store. Li
heels. It was obvious to him she was

Jerusalem

VV

Andre

*keg below are based on events in 2004.

Afte rnoon $1,395
" evening ,
afte " 795 Katie
afternoon 5 1,395
evening $1,795

!Maio

afternoon s1,695

evening 5 3,295

Gerald

afternoon '1,695
evening 5 3,495

MC Layne

afternoon s1,895
evening s4,495

',

3/19

2004

37C